On the day the Abbott government finally came clean that it misled western Sydney about Badgerys Creek airport, I was holding a mobile office in Doonside, catching up with residents.

During my visit, one of the most frequently raised issues was, when are we getting lifts at our railway station in Doonside?

The Doonside and Rooty Hill train stations look like relics of the 1950s. Upgrading them is a state Coalition government responsibility but it won't fix them due to budgetary restrictions. The Abbott government refuses to invest in public transport infrastructure unless an airport is involved.

A lift versus an airport – a lopsided contrast but a telling one. It reflects an unacceptable reality for western Sydney residents that simple infrastructure demands are ignored while billions are found for a brand new airport. In this case, while the stations won't be upgraded, their commuters will feel the impact of extra passengers being fed into a crowded Sydney rail network by a new airport.

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I doubt the Abbott government will put in the serious dollars needed to address the traffic and rail problems that plague western Sydney. They will do just enough to link the new airport to existing road and rail networks without alleviating the growing pressure on this infrastructure.

But the greatest insult to the people of western Sydney – the insult that simply fuels the ''east versus west'' debate – is the Abbott government's insistence that Badgerys Creek Airport must operate 24 hours a day while the eastern suburbs enjoy the protection of an 11pm to 6am curfew.

Not only has Tony Abbott misled western Sydney before the election about putting an airport at Badgerys Creek – but now he's telling us we must wear 24-hour operations.

I don't buy for a second the assertions that just because fewer people will be affected by aircraft noise and the airport will start out smaller than the Sydney Airport, a curfew protecting western Sydney is not deserved or warranted.

Western Sydney is one of the fastest growing regions in the nation. The area adjoining the proposed second airport site is projected to become home to a population rivalling Canberra's. How is it remotely fair to have an airport there without a curfew?

The business backers for this airport – notably the Sydney Business Chamber, camouflaged behind the name ''Western Sydney Airport Alliance'' – never admit their opposition to a curfew when tempting western Sydney with the notion that a second airport equals jobs.

Yet even the jobs figure bounces around wildly – we're told the airport will have minimal impact while creating 60,000 jobs. If the rough rule of thumb with airports is that 1000 jobs are created with 1 million passengers using the airport, then Badgerys will see 60 million passenger movements, rivalling Los Angeles or Heathrow airports in movements.

We're either being duped on the job numbers or misled on the size of the airport.

The devil is in the detail with this Badgerys Creek proposal, and I can assure you there are a lot of hidden devils in this plan.

Ed Husic is Federal Labor member for Chifley.

75 comments so far

Ed, I agree there are better options than building a second Airport in far South Western Sydney. However, you predictably blame Abbott for this. But strangely I can't see Anthony Albanese's name mentioned anywhere? Your fellow Federal Labor MP Albanese has been pushing Badgerys for many many years. Guess who's electorate will have reduced aircraft noise once Badgerys starts taking flights from Mascot? I am sure Anthony is very happy today. Maybe you should talk to him first?

Commenter

Jason

Date and time

April 15, 2014, 7:01PM

Glad to hear you are ok with residents in Anthony Albanese electorate to continue to suffer all the pain for every other Sydney resident - after all we're all millionaire yuppies apparently. The population is growing so other suburbs should share the load or please help me understand why the same residents should put up with more noise than we already do. We're not really happy because the noise will continue for us - like it always has and will only increase in time and we have no say in it because its 'progress'Seriously peoples, we have to get away from this tit for tat (ALP vs LNP) - the pollies are having a great laugh at our expense while we point fingers about who did what, when, while in the meantime developments are ruining ALL of our lives and taking advantage of the 'divide and rule' concept which is working so well for them and helping to divert attention from real issues affecting ALL of us.

Commenter

inner westie

Date and time

April 15, 2014, 7:35PM

@innerwestie - Completely agree. The noise should be shared among all residents of Sydney and to be honest, it isn't that bad and you get used to. The only place I thought it was terrible was Tempe, and I am in Petersham, directly under the flightpath. We can hear them change gears as they start their heavy decline about 50m away from out house. But to be honest, it isn't that bad. I don't even notice them most days

Commenter

Inner West Chick

Location

Crystal Street, Petersham

Date and time

April 15, 2014, 8:48PM

inner westie, No - but shoving your 'problem' to Sydney's west is not the answer either. I have relatives who have lived directly under the East West runway flight path at Bexley for 50 years. They don't notice the noise - which incidently is far less now with quieter planes than when I was a child. Mascot is one of the oldest major airports in the World. Your "inner westie" properties were purchased at lower prices knowing full well that getting a 2nd airport would be a real estate bonanza for you. You are right its not about ALP Vs LNP but it is about having an open an honest debate devoid of vested interests. Western Sydney did not need the excuse of a 2nd Airport for the much needed transport infrastructure.

Commenter

Jason

Date and time

April 15, 2014, 9:06PM

Husic should stop complaining. The second Sydney airport has to be built somewhere close to Sydney. The current Sydney Airport is a bottleneck to the booming tourist trade for Australia. The proposed airport will create thousands of jobs directly and indirectly.

Commenter

Dr B S Goh

Location

Australian in Asia

Date and time

April 16, 2014, 9:15AM

I'm fine for there not to be a second airport in Sydney at Badgery's Creek.... so long as we can start charging the residents of the new municipality of Western Sydney to use our existing airport, our beaches, to visit our Opera House, sightsee on ourr Sydney Harbour Bridge and generally extract a fee on the myriad of other occasions the hordes to the west insist on heading east to escape the drab ordinariness of their lives. Seems only fair.

In a reciprocal agreement, I'm happy to pay a levy whenever I visit Wet 'n' Wild or Penriff Panfers.

Commenter

David

Location

Sydney

Date and time

April 16, 2014, 9:23AM

Ed. I was on the Eastwood to Hornsby line, I think it was last month, going past stations whose gardens were being redone. You may like to ask State Rail why prettying up Northern line gardens is more important than a lift! NB not sure if this was council or rail. Parramatta meanwhile is being repainted so there is money around if you at a preferred station! As a Parra local I'd prefer the paint money be spent on the lifts!

Commenter

Money for looks

Date and time

April 16, 2014, 9:42AM

Ed, your comments are just sour grape. The Labor government did not do anything over the last six years on the second airport. The Labor State government had endless corruption and scandals, and never paid attention to Sydney infrastructure.

I bet most of Western Sydney residents will welcome this new announcement after it has been dumped for 50 years. I believe more details will be revealed, and it will prove your comments only demonstrates how Labor has been so hopeless and only focus infighting, and corruption.

Wake up Ed.

Commenter

Albert

Date and time

April 15, 2014, 7:01PM

He is awake, you're the one that's hitting the snooze button while everyone starts without you. There's nothing wrong with pointing out the possible downsides of what's been announced; the devil in the detail as Ed puts it. This decision has taken a very long time to come about, in so much as it seemed inevitable. We all need to not just get behind the project, but to hold people accountable and make sure it's done well. People and vested interests will always look to cut corners and skimp to save a buck at the possible expense of quality and the wider community.

Commenter

meatatarian

Date and time

April 15, 2014, 10:16PM

Wake up AlbertThis is all about Abbott.Hawke bought enough land for a twin runway airport so that a curfew could be in place. Howard sold out to his mate Max and gave him first right of refusal over any second airport. Max has always wanted to break the curfew. The only way to do that is with a single runway airport.The contract allows for a two year negotiation over the size and design of the new airport. Magically and by pure coincidence that two year period will now run out just before the next election. I'm being there will be big donations to the Liberal Party reelection fund before the contact is signed.